Reproducer for talking-machines



I 1. w. KAUFMANN.

REPRODUCER FOR TALKING MACHINES. I

APPLICATION HLED JUNE 21, 1920.

1,381,201. Patentedltme 14,1921,

WITNESSES INVENTOR A TTOHNEYS UNITE JOHN W. KAUFMANN, 0F BALTII/LORE, MARYLAND.

REPROD'UGER FOR TALKING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. June 21, 1920. Serial No. 390,482.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN 'W. KAUFMANN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Reproducers for Talking- Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in re producers for talking machines, and has for its object to provide a new and improved connection between the needle and the diaphragm controlling lever, for improving the tone, making the reproduction more faithful and distinct, and eliminating the disagreeable machine element of the tone.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front view of the improved reproducer,

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 3 is a partial plan view of the spring,

Fig. 4 is a front view of the needle holder and support,

Fig. 5 is a plan'view of needle holder,

, Fig. 6 is an edge view of a modified form of spring before bending,

Fig. 7 is a partial front View, showing a modified mounting for the reproducer lever,

Fig. Sis a section on the line 88of Fig. 7.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 8, the case one of the reproducer box has the usual central nipple 2 for receiving the inlet end of the amplifier 3, and the diaphragm 4 is held in the case between gaskets 5, by means of curved plates 6 and 7, the plate 7 being at that side of the case adjacent to the needle holder, while the plate 6 is at the opposite side.

The reproducer lever 8 is connected to the diaphragm at the center thereof in the usual manner, by means of an angular portion of the lever, and the outer end of the lever is connected to one end of a plate spring 9.

The needle holder 10,, which has the usual means, indicated at 11, for holding the needle 12 in place, is provided at the end remote from the needle with a cross 1314. The arms 13 of the cross extend transversely of the end of the spring 9, whilethe arms 14 extend longitudinally of the said spring. These arms are secured to the said spring by means of screws 15, and referring to Fig. 2 it will be seen that each arm of the cross has at its free end an enlargement which abuts of a modified form the spring, thus spacing the central portion of the arms away from the spring; that is, the arms of the cross: only touch the spring at their extremities. Referring to Fig. 4, it will be seen that the arms 13 of the cross are enlarged laterally at the openings for the screws. This permits a smaller'amount of metal to be used, while at the same time securing a firm attachment.

The reproducer lever 8 is connected to Patented June 14, 1921.

the spring 9 at the end remote from the needle holder, by means of a plate or crosshead 16 integral with the said lever. This plate is secured to the sprin by means of screw 17 and referring to Fig. 2 it will enlargements, at the screws for spacing the spring from the plate, in the same manner as the spring is spaced from the cross.

The ends of the arms 13 of the cross have be seen that the plate has extensions, or

depressions which receive tapering pointed pivot screws 18. These screws are threaded through bearing brackets 19 on the plate 7 before mentioned, and each screw is engaged by a lock nut 20 outside the hearing. The

6, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, and the plate -16 of the reproducing lever has outwardly extending journal pins 21, which are pointed as shown, and are engaged by set screws 22,

which are threaded through outwardly ex-' tending bearings 23 on a radial extension 24 extending outwardlyfrom the sound box in the opposite direction from the needle holder.

The lock nuts 25 engage the screws outfside of the bearing to hold them in adjusted position; thus the reproducing lever is pivotally supported at its outer end and plate 7 is of greater thickness than the plate may rock freely on the said pivotal connection.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 3, it will :be seen that the spring 9 is of greatest width at the end adjacent to the needle holder and of least width at the end adjacent to'the reproducer lever. The sides of the spring converge toward the reproducer lever, so that the spring as a whole tapers from the needle holder to the reproducer lever. Thus the strength of the spring gradually decreases from the needle holder to the reproducer lever. 7

When the needle vibrates from its contact with the hills and hollows of the groove of the record, that end of the spring to which the needle holder is connected is vibrated.

chine element in the tone is eliminated, and

because of the amplification of the movement of the needle holder, the sounds are very distinct, while at the same time they are of asoft, agreeable quality.

The tapering of the spring is for the purpose of gradually decreasing the rigidity of the connection between the needle holder and thereproducer lever from the needle holder to the reproducer lever, and this end may be attained otherwise thanby lessening is to be connected'to the needle holder tothe width of the spring as,for instance, with the spring plate shown in Fig. 6 and ind].- cated at 25, the amphficatlon movement 1s brought a about by gradually reducing thethickness of the spring from that end which ward the opposite end. In either construction, that end of the spring which is connected to the reproducer lever tapers outwardly, or broadens slightly, as clearly shown at 26 in Fig. 3.

IniFig. 5 there isshown modified con struction of needle holder; The needle holder 27 hascross arms 28 and-29.corresponding to the arms 13 and 14 of Fig. 1. These arms have enlargements, or extensions, on the face adjacentto the spring, as

indicated at 30 and 31 respectively, and it will be noticed that the enlargements 31 are of greater depth thanthe enlargements 30;

I thus when the screws which connect the 1 spring 2 to the cross arms are turned tightly home, the spring will be slightly bowed laterally, which tendsto improve the tone.

In each arrangement, the object is to provide relative rigidity at the needle holder end, with relative flexibility at the diaphragm end, so that the movement of the needle is imparted without lessening to the adjacent end of the spring, and because of the lessening resistance of the spring, the

- movement ofthe needle is amplified and softened as it progresses toward the reproducer. I i r 1 In the modified construction shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the reproducing lever 32 has an attaching plate 33 at its outer end, which is connected to thespring 3 L by means of screws 35. The plate 33 is mounted to rock onwedge-shaped pivot pins 36, which extendoutwardly from the sound box 37.

cent edge of the plate 33.

These pins engage indentations in the adj a- Screws 38 are passed through the extended ends ofthe plate 33 into engagement with the sound box 37, the said sound box having a radial extension 39 to which thescrews are connected, and a sleeve 40 is arranged between each screw head and the plate 33. As clearly shown in Figs. 7 and .8, the sleeves 40 are Wedgeshaped, and the pointed ends of the sleeve engage indentations in the extended ends of the plate 33.

It will be understood that the improved reproducer is adapted for use as well with the type ofrecordin which the indentations, that is, the hills and hollows, are lateral, as well as those which are in the.bottom' of the groove,

1. In reproducers, the combinationwith the sound box and the diaphragm, and the reproducer lever connected .with the diaphragm, of a needle holderpivoted to the sound box at one side of'the diaphragm,-a pivotal connection between the outer end of the reproducer lever and the sound box, and

base being in the form of a cross, having arms extending longitudinally and laterally of the spring in both directions from the needle holder. I 5

2. In reproducers, the combination. with the sound box and the diaphragm, and the reproducer lever connected with thevdiaphragm, of aneedle holder pivoted to the sound box at one. side ofthe diaphragm, a

pivotal connection between the outer end of thefreproducer lever and the soundbox,

and a spring directly connected at one end to the reproducer lever at the pivotal mounting and similarly connected at'itszopposite end to the needle holder, said connection gradually decreasing in strength and resistance from the needle holder toward the reproducing lever/ 3. In reproducers. the combination with the sound box, and the reproducer lever and the needle holder pivoted at opposite sides thereof, of a spring directly connected at its opposite ends to said lever-and said needle holder and gradually decreasing in strength and resistance from the needle holder toward the-reproducing lever. r

4:. In reproducers, the combination with the sound box, and the reproducer lever and the needle holder pivoted at:;opposite sides thereof, ofa plate spring connecting said lever and needle holder, said needle holder having a cross-shaped base for connection with the spring, and the arms of the cross having enlargements attheir ends for spacing the centralportion of the crossfrom the spring, the enlargements at the ends of those arms which extend longitudinally of the spring being ofgre'ater height than the other enlargements. 1 J

5. In re roducers, the combination with the sound ox, andthe reproducer lever and 9;, said the needle holder pivoted at opposite sides thereof, of a plate spring connecting said the sound box, and the reproducer lever and lever and needle holder, said needle holder the needle holder pivoted at opposite sides 10 having a cross-shaped base for connection thereof, of a plate spring connecting said with the spring, and the arms of the cross lever and needle holder, said needle holder 5 having enlargements at their ends for spachaving a cross-shaped base for connection ingthe central portion of the cross from the With the spring. s rm 6. l n reproducers, the combination with JOHN W. KAUFMANN. 

